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Crossing guard: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,100median pay per year, or $18.32 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $30,840lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,43025th percentile
  3. $38,100median
  4. $47,54075th percentile
  5. $61,690top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Crossing guards and flaggers had a median pay of $38,100 a year in May 2025[1]. The job needs no formal educational credential, only short-term on-the-job training[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.5%[5]
Openings per year
17,300[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[2]

How much do crossing guards make?

The median wage for crossing guards and flaggers was $38,100 a year, or $18.32 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The median annual wage for all occupations was $50,980[4], so this job's median sits below it.

The average was $43,350 a year, or $20.84 an hour[7].

The wage range[3][8]:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $30,840 $14.83
25th[3][8] $34,430 $16.55
Median[1] $38,100 $18.32
75th[3][8] $47,540 $22.86
90th[3][8] $61,690 $29.66

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,840[3]. A percentile is a boundary between groups of workers, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

The figures cover full-time and part-time workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses not tied to production or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 94,360 people held these jobs in May 2025[11]. In 2025, 0.1% of crossing guards and flaggers were self-employed[12].

Pay by state and city

North Dakota had the highest state median at $60,230, but it had only 50 jobs[13]. California came next at $50,610, then Washington at $48,940[13]. Louisiana had the lowest published median, $25,450[13].

New York had the most jobs, 10,430, followed by Pennsylvania (9,410), California (9,390), New Jersey (7,270) and Florida (5,690)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in Charleston-North Charleston, SC at $73,990, Salem, OR at $62,990 and Columbus, OH at $61,690[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, 13,930, with a median of $43,440[16].

Show median pay in 48 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
North Dakota[13]$60,23050
California$50,6109,390
Washington$48,9403,340
Minnesota$48,100260
Oregon$47,1102,250
Wyoming$47,070160
South Dakota$46,94060
New Hampshire$45,980440
Vermont$45,410340
New York$44,73010,430
Massachusetts$43,4601,700
Hawaii$42,780230
Connecticut$41,9501,670
New Jersey$41,6007,270
Iowa$41,240170
District of Columbia$40,800520
Maine$40,1401,140
Idaho$40,060470
Illinois$38,9902,240
Nebraska$37,990110
Colorado$37,6202,810
Virginia$37,5601,940
Arizona$37,4402,170
Indiana$37,4402,230
Ohio$37,4402,700
Michigan$36,5402,150
Delaware$36,500580
Tennessee$35,9601,460
Maryland$35,8503,420
Pennsylvania$35,8109,410
Florida$35,7305,690
Wisconsin$35,580990
Utah$35,4801,890
Kansas$35,440180
Kentucky$34,450420
Georgia$34,2302,030
North Carolina$33,7302,760
Missouri$33,560150
Texas$33,3502,830
West Virginia$32,8001,190
South Carolina$32,6901,050
Montana$32,60070
Nevada$31,4801,500
New Mexico$31,460510
Rhode Island$31,200n/a
Arkansas$30,830n/a
Alabama$29,190250
Oklahoma$28,610130
Louisiana$25,450440

How to become a crossing guard

The path in the facts is simple[2]:

In an O*NET survey of 35 workers, 73% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, 18% said less than a high school diploma and 6% said some college courses[17].

The facts do not say how long the training lasts or what a particular employer requires.

What crossing guards do

Crossing guards and flaggers guide or control car and foot traffic at places such as streets, schools, railroad crossings and construction sites[18]. Typical tasks include[19]:

Job titles reported by workers include school crossing guard, adult crossing guard and substitute crossing guard[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of crossing guards and flaggers to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 94,800 jobs to 98,100[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% as well[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

About 17,300 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 12% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts suggest this job suits people who want to start without a degree, since no formal educational credential and only short-term training are typical[2]. Pay is lower than the all-occupations median, at $38,100 against $50,980[1][4]. Job growth matches the all-occupations rate[5][21], and openings come up each year[6]. Pay differs by place, and North Dakota had the highest state median with only 50 jobs[13].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a crossing guard make an hour?
The median was $18.32 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $20.84[1][7].
What education do you need to be a crossing guard?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry level, with short-term on-the-job training[2].
Is crossing guard a job in demand?
BLS projects 3.5% growth from 2025 to 2035, equal to the rate for all occupations, and about 17,300 openings a year[5][21][6].
What is the highest paying state for crossing guards?
North Dakota had the highest median, $60,230, but with only 50 jobs[13]. California was next at $50,610[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crossing Guards and Flaggers in the US was $38,100 per year and $18.32 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Crossing Guards and Flaggers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crossing Guards and Flaggers: 10th percentile $30,840, 25th percentile $34,430, 75th percentile $47,540, 90th percentile $61,690. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Crossing Guards and Flaggers is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 94,800 to 98,100 jobs (a change of +3,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 17,300 openings for Crossing Guards and Flaggers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Crossing Guards and Flaggers was $43,350 per year and $20.84 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Crossing Guards and Flaggers: 10th percentile $14.83, 25th percentile $16.55, 75th percentile $22.86, 90th percentile $29.66. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 94,360 people were employed as Crossing Guards and Flaggers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 0.1% of Crossing Guards and Flaggers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Crossing Guards and Flaggers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Crossing Guards and Flaggers jobs: New York 10,430; Pennsylvania 9,410; California 9,390; New Jersey 7,270; Florida 5,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Crossing Guards and Flaggers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Charleston-North Charleston, SC $73,990; Salem, OR $62,990; Columbus, OH $61,690; Vallejo, CA $60,270; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $58,810; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $58,060; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $57,190; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $55,700. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Crossing Guards and Flaggers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 13,930 (median $43,440); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,300 (median $37,350); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,500 (median $55,700); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,140 (median $38,990); Pittsburgh, PA 2,120 (median $35,990); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,060 (median $40,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 33-9091.00 survey of workers (35 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 73%, Less than a High School Diploma 18%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Crossing Guards and Flaggers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Crossing Guards and Flaggers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 33-9091.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Adult Crossing Guard, Community Service Officer, Crossing Guard, Road Crossing Guard, School Crossing Guard, Substitute Crossing Guard. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Crossing Guards and Flaggers: 12% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.